How Giant Tube Worms Survive at Hydrothermal Vents | I Contain Multitudes

Deep at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, an amazing bacterial discovery reshaped our view of life on earth.
Anatomy of a tube worm: / anatomy-of-a-giant-tub...
Archaea 101: / microbes-101-archaea
In 1977, three people squeezed into a sturdy little submersible named “Alvin” and dived 7,500 feet to the bottom of the Pacific. The team was looking for something that had been predicted for years but had never actually been seen: deep-sea hydrothermal vents. These jets of volcanically superheated water would be caused by two continental plates pulling away from each other on the ocean floor. The Alvin crew found the vents, but they also saw something else that took them completely by surprise. They had expected a barren sunless world on the ocean floor, but instead found one that teemed with life-a menagerie that included the giant tubeworm, Riftia pachyptila, that can grow taller than a person.
In this episode, Ed talks to Colleen Cavanaugh and finds out how the tubeworm can live in complete darkness and, more curiously, without even having a mouth or anus. In a process called chemosynthesis, symbiotic bacteria inside the tubeworm use hydrogen sulfide spewed from the vents as an energy source for themselves and for the worms. An entire unexpected ecosystem powered by chemosynthesis thrives in the dark depths of the ocean.
Subscribe for more episodes every Monday! And don't forget to find us on Facebook or Medium for articles and infographics that explore beyond each episode:
On Facebook: / hhmisciencemedia
On Medium: / hhmi-science
And if you're curious about the microbiome, feel free to send questions to @edyong209 or @tangledbankHHMI on Twitter!

[@Socratica]

We love dreaming about outer space, but sometimes we forget about this "unearthly" frontier all around us! Thanks for another great video!

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[@kittymarlu526]

@@ElectronicHits you racist fish stick lol

[@kittymarlu526]

The world is so disillusioned they would never spend the money for ocean exploration so stuck on how to get to mars to start terra forming the fact is they will have to actually work n spend money on actual tech n we will expect certain results understanding the physics and biology of this planet where as space is such an unknown frontier they can make shit up left n right sinking are wallets to an ocean that won't be explored unless there was something of materialistic value to them who knows for certain what space is seems to me I get more truth from a psychonaut then a astronaut

[@ElectronicHits]

@@kittymarlu526 no speak english friend, hablo un poquito de spañol y falo português, I am from Brazil

[@sarahtedesco1198]

This video is absolutely perfect for my middle school students!! Just had to say that this was such a high-quality and enjoyable learning tool.

[@traumtanzerin3134]

"Cool creatures" - "It's actually very warm" What a charming response! Great video!

[@kenseidel9271]

Your videos bring art and science together providing enjoyable education. Thank you for creativity and more importantly your willingness to share of yourself. Please keep doing what you do so well.

[@ricardoteg]

Sweet video! I love how, by pure luck, this guy was asked to speak at Harvard and a the right student just happenedto be at the right place at the right time

[@Smecksee]

That's why I'm a tube worm main.

[@gabbybennitt293]

I like your political compass, comrade.

[@nokwethembakwethe2245]

nice video... I wish all educational videos were this awesome

[@martinmisiak7242]

It's hard to find well-produced, modern videos about chemosynthesis. Excellent work. Great details. Amazing that these were only discovered a few decades ago.

[@davidecavuto6034]

Very high quality content, I am stupefied . Kudos !

[@MK-il4cw]

Amazing video. Great execution of knowledge.

[@lordclassic3026]

This video is so amazingly well made.

[@rlaqere]

Love this video. Informative and humorous

[@cernunnos_lives]

Thanks for your hard work people!!!!

[@mary-anneevans7315]

Great video. Loved your presentation. Clear, interesting and informative. Thank you.

[@lejlacsermak6125]

That was very interesting. Thank you!

[@tacos394]

Spectacular video, very entertaining and at the same time educational... The host did a great job explaining as well!!!

[@plihal203]

Found this video by accident, really nice, I learnt something today, thanks :)

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everything on this channel is soo cool!

[@jaedenvanderberg3890]

*continues existing*

[@alexschutze993]

this is insanely high quality

[@cesar8197]

And people dreaming with mars... great video. Thank you.

[@mycoffeemyday]

I have an odd fascination for tube worms. Fascinating creatures.

[@faemac6502]

THIS IS SO GOOOOD!!!

[@Palmier_nain]

Awesomly interesting ! :D

[@ptarmigan1356]

That was very interesting, now I want to find out more about chemosynthesis. At the end there is mentioned an article with more detailed information. Can someone help me find the link?

[@ebonylyla9385]

Thank you very much 🙏🙏

[@zeuspowerxD]

You're awesome!

[@blakethompson-dodd9874]

Why do the tube worms move? It's not like they need to catch the sulphur right? If they're anchored they can't exactly get anywhere.

[@ciphersmain]

Very cool! Thanks!

[@isaacadeogun]

actually, it's very warm

[@infinidimensionalinfinitie5021]

this not only explains about life on earth, but also how life adapts to all conditions on all planets, and stars, and what have you.

[@uknowbass]

Nice job!

[@maramalhinai5340]

Awesome

[@vorpalz2356]

Bruh why am I watching the biology school quarantine vids late at night. I could be playing call of duty or making vids right now. :(

[@unwailfatherslove4199]

Waao .. amazing video👍

[@emilioescobarlopez411]

What an odyssey ¡¡ Amazing creatures those Tube Worms ¡¡ 🙏🕉

[@harrytakhi4023]

very nice

[@gdmrhotshot3731]

its times like these where i wish i could just pull up a transcript, read it, and not have to watch the video so I can do my homework

[@DannyHsu]

Is that bacterial called Archaea to help digest?

[@Sofigarcesc]

Awesomeeeeeeeeee

[@keeganmclean2017]

Damn he rekt her with that eye-roll at the end there...

[@drhanaa2201]

what is the recognition between worm and bacteria?

[@Eric35711as]

How do you cook them vent shrimp

[@patricklynch4074]

would this relationship be chemoheterotropy or chemoautotropy?

[@bentruswell8438]

i love his ears

[@bruceonisko2155]

Why do the symbiotic bacteria stop oxidizing H2S at S8? Why not go to H2SO4 and get more energy?

[@SeaJay_Oceans]

But how did they get DOWN There ? It's a long trip down, and not much to feed on, and no light for a long . . . long trip down... :-O ?

[@keithdriscoll7244]

Guy sounds just like Jimmy Carr

[@pippaknuckle]

Colleen rocks!

[@knightslash6385]

Here from school

[@TheSdzfr]

But in the absence of Photosynthesis, How does Oxygen reach there?

[@helpme100]

♥️

[@jimmybiggs9856]

Yeah, WHERE IS THE TRANSITIONAL?

[@KneeKrusher]

MORREEEEEEE

[@berfindag2389]

That was an amazing video besides the scientific content.

[@ninjadragon6096]

bruh

[@Alejandro-tm8eq]

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[@ninjadragon6096]

@@Alejandro-tm8eq bitch waht

[@lindseygunderloy9422]

@@Alejandro-tm8eq that was random lmao. also i don't believe in god

[@Alejandro-tm8eq]

@@lindseygunderloy9422 Lol,that comment was when I was pretty "Pharisitical". Now,I try and take a more passive approach when presenting The Gospel. But I Highly recommend that channel called A Voice In The Desert,even if you don't believe in God,you may agree with what they say. I linked some of his videos in the last comment God bless you

[@kittymarlu526]

I love the ocean hope to make my job partly to do with it coastal kid for life a true OG of the highest degree forgive the weed pun

[@timothyjohnmercado21]

Sir, how do the organism survive with high pressure?

[@isaacadeogun]

they don't listen to society

[@AA-wd2or]

The Worms tube worms giant worms

[@edgardomartindaus1626]

That is written in the Bible “In hell, the worms do not die, and the fire never goes out." -Mark 9:48 Hell is in the heart of earth.

[@mintymintmina]

Hello guys I'm from the class

[@NickPHoyle]

im from 2020

[@honeyjohn6334]

Tell me the life span of this worm . You cannot , its beyond the science I challenging you ....

[@yodaleiheehu3280]

Are these worms indigenous?

[@consolemaster]

Sorry. I don't buy the entire pressure theory of the weight of the water. At the bottom, the pressure is equalized in all directions. So, it's ok to live in such environment with such pressure. Just humans and other organisms that has certain elements in the blood bubbles in high pressure cannot live there.

[@jonathanthomas2449]

You sound so dumb rn

[@flymasterA]

God was able to solve any and all earth-challenges to his earthly creation of life. I'd like to see a good temperature chart/diagram of the temperatures of the water all around vents. It's like sleeping in the warm area around a campfire. Too close and your sleeping bag catches fire, too far and you shiver. The sides of the vents may be cool as the large amounts of cold water rushing up the sides may create a habitation zone.

[@ranb00_01]

who is here because of school?

[@stanleykubrick8786]

Some interesting information but the cheekiness of the presentation is mentally draining. I hope PBS considers this comment. Listeners need to always be on guard for the next pun around the corner.

[@isaiahhammond6059]

shut your handsome face

[@nightwolf5384]

remind me why that's a bad thing? most ppl like puns ya know...

[@Meyer-fq1lg]

this is so fake stop the cap

[@adamwilbraham1413]

science doesnt lie my little youngling, listen to the video silly dumpling

[@greg77389]

magnets how tf do they work?!

[@jkirk1626]

Yet more knowledge and discovery the world would be without but for white people.